A Summer's Day in Thorpeness & AldeburghSaturday 20th July 2019£27.50 per person

Join us on this delightful day out to the Suffolk Coast !

The small village of Thorpeness is dominated by the Meare, which is open all year round and bears witness to the village’s fantastical past. Thorpeness was the dream of wealthy Scottish barrister Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie. Originally a fishing hamlet called Thorpe in what would later be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it was seen by Ogilvie as the perfect place to create an adult playground for his family and friends. Once complete, he renamed it Thorpeness to distinguish it from all the other Thorpes in East Anglia, and one of the most unique villages in the country was born.

Today the village is just how Ogilvie envisaged it with pretty mock Tudor houses and the fairy-tale ‘House in the Clouds’. With Peter Pan islands, boats in every shade of the rainbow, and plenty of secrets to uncover, Thorpeness Meare is the centrepiece of this fantastic village on the Suffolk coast.

If you hire one of the boats you can explore the tiny islands, coves, and creeks and you may find the Pirate’s Lair, Wendy’s Home, and Captain’s House amongst many others. The eagle-eyed may even spot a crocodile in between the trees ! There will be free time in Thorpeness to purchase lunch and find hidden treasures in Thorpeness Emporium. Browse the vintage antiques and collectibles on market stalls , tables and in cabinets. There is everything from jewellery to homewares and furniture to pictures, clothes, glassware and much more.

We shall then board the coach and take the short drive to the charming seaside town of Aldeburgh. Pastel-coloured 19th Century holiday villas line the promenade and to the east - the pebble beach with fisherman’s huts sell the daily catch. The High Street offers delightful shopping opportunities with independent clothes boutiques, antiques and arts, an independent book shop and cinema plus a large variety of cafes , pubs, and restaurants. And of course – no visit to the seaside would be complete without ice cream !